Mandarin Orange Cheesecake

This mandarin orange cheesecake is dotted with plump mandarins and flavored with orange juice concentrate and bright citrus zest on top of an almond graham cracker crust.

Why this recipe works

A creamy, rich, and subtly sweet cheesecake dotted with juicy little mandarins and an almond-flavored graham cracker crust makes this mandarin orange cheesecake a stunner of a dessert. Top with smooth whipped cream and fruity mandarin zest to tie it altogether. She’s a beauty!

You’ve probably seen plenty of dessert recipes that use canned mandarins, like mandarin orange jello salad or mandarin orange mousse, which are incredible in their own right. But I think it’s high time fresh mandarins get the love they deserve, and this cheesecake is a shining example. While you can just as easily use a can of mandarin oranges here, you can’t beat the fresh juicy sweetness and the added flavor from the zest!

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

CRUST – Ground almonds give the graham cracker crust a lovely nutty flavor, while also giving it some further texture. You can typically find ground almonds at the store, but if you want to toast and grind them yourself, you can place the almonds on a baking sheet and toast in an oven at 350F for around 10 minutes. Then, blitz the almonds in a food processor.

CHEESECAKE – I typically make this mandarin orange cheesecake using sour cream, but I’ve also successfully substituted with drained vanilla yogurt. Allow all your chilled ingredients (eggs, butter, cream cheese, sour cream, and orange juice concentrate) to come to room temperature before beginning. The cream cheese is especially important to come to room temperature so that your filling does not come out lumpy.

TOPPING – A simple whipped cream topping allows the cheesecake flavors to really shine. If you wanted, you could use 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon of orange extract for a little extra oomph of citrus flavoring. However, I don’t find it necessary as the garnish of orange zest adds subtle citrus flair on its own. Speaking of the garnish, I thought I’d mention that it’s easier to zest mandarin oranges when they are chilled.

How to Make Mandarin Orange Cheesecake

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

This recipe was slightly adapted from The Cheesecake Bible by George Geary on page 122.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9-inch cheesecake pan, ungreased, or springform pan with 3-inch sides, greased.
2. In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, almonds, and butter.
3. Press into the bottom of the cheesecake pan and freeze for 30 minutes to an hour.
   
   TIP – Use a flat-bottomed measuring cup to press the crust into the pan.
   
   
4. In a stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese, butter, and sugar on medium-high speed until very smooth, for 3 minutes.
5. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until combined after each addition. Do not overbeat.
6. Stir in sour cream, orange juice concentrate, orange zest, and vanilla.
7. Fold in orange segments using a rubber spatula.
8. Pour over frozen crust, smoothing out to sides of pan.
9. Bake in preheated oven until top is light brown and center has a slight jiggle to it, 45 to 55 minutes. At the end of the baking time, turn the oven off and crack open the oven door slightly. Leave the cheesecake in the oven while the oven cools down. When oven has cooled, remove cheesecake to a wire rack on the counter. It’s ok if the cheesecake cracks a bit on top, you’ll cover it with whipped cream.
10. Once the cheesecake is fully cooled, you can now add the whipped topping.
11. Using the whisk attachment on your mixer, beat heavy whipping cream on medium-high for about 30 seconds. Stop mixer, add powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Turn mixer on low to incorporate the sugar and extract. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down sides if needed.
12. Return mixer to medium-high and beat until stiff peaks form. Spread topping on top of cheesecake and refrigerate for several hours before cutting.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

Absolutely. If you’re allergic or looking for a different substitute, you can simply swap the ground almonds for an equal amount of graham crackers to make up the difference. You can also use hazelnuts, which I’ve done in the past and came out equally delicious! Walnuts or crushed pretzels are other good options here.

Yes, you can substitute the mandarin oranges with a 10-ounce can of mandarin orange segments if needed. Be sure to drain them! However, you’ll still want to purchase a mandarin orange for this recipe so you’re not missing out on all the flavor the zest adds!

Place your cheesecake in an air-tight container, I love cake carriers for this reason, and store in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

Serving Suggestions

Garnish your mandarin orange cheesecake with orange zest for a vibrant pop of flavor and color. Enjoy chilled.

You might think of anything orange-related as a summer dessert, which of course, it can be! However, mandarin oranges are in season from November through April, which means this stunner is a year-round dessert not limited to a singular season. Especially with how you typically have access to mandarins at all times throughout the year now. This cheesecake is great for birthdays, potlucks, summer parties, Easter, and Thanksgiving spreads to name a few. Hope you love it as much as we do!

More Cheesecake Recipes

• Oreo Cheesecake
• Salted Caramel Cheesecake
• Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake
• No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake

I love to bake and cook and share my kitchen experience with all of you! Remembering to come back each day can be tough, that’s why I offer a convenient newsletter every time a new recipe posts. Simply subscribe and start receiving your free daily recipes!